Gunnison

Avalanche

Zach Guy · Mar 21, 2021 · Gunnison

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Weather

Weather: Mostly cloudy with pulses of light snowfall mixed with brief windows of sunshine. Light ridgetop winds with light transport out of the southwest.

Snowpack

Snowpack: 3” to 4” new snow, appeared to bond better to meltfreeze crusts (on E, S aspects) as opposed to dry snow on northerly aspects. Isolated drifts below alpine ridgelines up to 12”, with mixed results from ski cuts. No signs of instability near and below treeline.

Avalanche

Avalanches: On above treeline, northerly aspects: Ski cut a small wind slab (12” thick) in a steep gulley below a cornice. Unintentionally triggered a small persistent slab (~18” soft slab broke on facets) after hucking a cliff band. The crown broke along the base of the cliff. This was in steep, rocky terrain where the total snowdepth was about 2 feet deep due to previous slides. Also several small natural loose dry avalanches ran today.